News Agenda 28/9 - 2/10

During the past week, there was alot of news that caught the attention of Malaysian media. One that has been hogging the headlines for a good 3 -4 days is about the massive earthquakes that shook Padang in Sumatra and American Samoa. This tragedy has been repeatedly highlighted in the news and in newspapers for one simple reason: the fear of experiencing aftershocks at home. Many were worried that a tsunami would strike Malaysian shores yet again but thankfully, it did not.

However, a total of 47 buildings in Peninsular Malaysia experienced mild tremors while 5 of them suffered minor cracks and damages. One expert in the Malaysian Meteorological Department stated that they expected one major earthquake to occur in three decades' time which could result in a tsunami that could devastate the West coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Some suggested also that the earhtquake could in fact hit Malaysia. This is a cause for concern since Malaysia is not prepared for such a catastrophe unless the authorities take the necessary steps to ensure its public's safety. One way is to reinforce existing buildings to be earthquake-proof and to make sure the early tsunami detection systems to be in tip-top shape if and when the catastrophe occurs.

On the local front, it was announced two days ago that the identitiy of an 'unidentified male' whose DNA was found on the deceased Teoh Beng Hock's blazer would be revealed yesterday. This proved to be a significant piece of news since it could be the key to solving Mr. Teoh's mysterious death and perhaps explain if someone pushed him off the MACC building. However, this finding also poses some important questions: we cannot assume that the DNA would belong to the person responsible for Mr. Teoh death nor can we conclude otherwise. Nonetheless, the press and the general public were anxious to find out who the mystery person to quench their thirst for sensational news. It was also important for people to know if the MACC really did go to such lengths and murdered someone in cold blood in their own office. Indeed, everyone was somewhat dumbfounded when it was revealed yesterday that the DNA belonged to M. Gopala, whose post-mortem was conducted on the same bench top earlier.

In the world of entertainment, Zhang Yimou, once someone labelled a persona non grata in China has become one of the most well-known public figure there. For much of the past quarter century, the Chinese director Zhang Yimou made films that highlighted his country’s struggle against poverty, war and political misrule to the outside world — films that Chinese, for the most part, never saw. More often than not, his bold and gritty epics were banned by the Chinese authorities because they showed China's ugly side. Once in the running to win an Oscar, officials lobbied for that movie to be removed from the nomination. However, he is enjoying immense popularity from the Chinese people and the government after he coreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and more recently, the celebrations marking China's 60 years of Communist rule. This proved to be a significant milestone for Zhang whose career if flourishing in a country where his films were once considered subversive elements. It is interesting to note that he is working very closely with the central government today to present China’s new face to the world with stagecraft and masterful wizadry.

In local political news, the upcoming MCA elections on the 10th October 2009 has been discussed widely among the Malaysian public. The election's outcome would prove to be extremely important in Malaysian politics since the MCA is an indispensable arm the National Front. While the internal conflict ensues, the current MCA President Datuk Sri Ong Tee Keat announced that he would immediately step down as party president along with his entire entourage should he fail to obtain a landslide victory against an opponent whose reputation is irreversibly tarnished following an infamous sex scandal. Still, the latter has succeeded in saving his political career and appears to be currying favour among the delegates. If this issue is not resolved next Saturday, Malaysia might suffer its aftermath: political insecurity and national instability. Therefore, it is of utmost important importance for the delegates to choose wisely and responsibly for the sake of a brighter future in Malaysian politics.

Lastly, Malaysian sports has been reached new heights by starting up its own Formula 1 (F1) team. Aviation mogul Tony Fernandes said on Monday it will cost about 450 million ringgit (129 million dollars) to put Malaysia on next year's Formula One grid and to complete the 19-race schedule. The project is spearheaded by Lotus which intends to re-enter the motor sport industry and is financially backed by Fernandez, 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn Bhd, a public-private partnership involving a string of top local entrepreneurs, as well as national automaker Proton. This will prove to be an attractive business proposition and is expected to turn profitable in the first year of operations. The main revenue drivers include sponsorship, sale of merchandise and share of profits with FOM (Formula One Management, the F1 commercial rights holders). This will not only boost Malaysia's image on the international arena but also generate profit for the country. Although the government will hold no stakes whatsoever, I believe the revenue earned by Tune Group and Naza Group will prove beneficial for the nation's economy on the whole.

Cheers!